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‘Flags of Our Fathers’ Author Now Doubts His Father Was in Iwo Jima Photo ‘Flags of Our Fathers’ Author Now Doubts His Father Was in Iwo Jima Photo
(35 minutes later)
WASHINGTON — James Bradley, the author of “Flags of Our Fathers,” a best-selling book about the role of his father, a Navy corpsman, in the raising of the American flag over Iwo Jima, said in an interview Tuesday that he no longer believed his father was shown in an iconic photograph of the moment. WASHINGTON — The identity of an American serviceman in one of the most iconic photographs of World War II, the raising of the American flag over Iwo Jima, has been called into question by his son, who wrote a best-selling book that memorialized his father’s role.
Mr. Bradley described his doubts about his father’s role after the Marine Corps revealed last week that it had opened an inquiry into whether some of the six men long thought to be in the image had been misidentified. He said that his father, John Bradley, had participated in raising a flag on Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945, but had not participated in a second flag-raising the same day, which became the famous photograph. James Bradley, the author of “Flags of Our Fathers,” said in an interview Tuesday that he no longer believed that his father, John Bradley, a Navy corpsman, was one of the six American service members who have been long identified in the photograph.
Mr. Bradley described his doubts about his father’s role after the Marine Corps revealed last week that it had opened an inquiry into whether some of the six men long thought to be in the image had been misidentified. He said that his father, had participated in raising a flag on Iwo Jima on Feb. 23, 1945, but had not participated in a second flag-raising the same day, which became the famous photograph.
His father, he said, probably thought that the first flag-raising was the one that was captured in the photograph.His father, he said, probably thought that the first flag-raising was the one that was captured in the photograph.
All of the men identified in the photograph are dead. Three of the men died fighting the Japanese on Iwo Jima. John Bradley died in 1994.All of the men identified in the photograph are dead. Three of the men died fighting the Japanese on Iwo Jima. John Bradley died in 1994.
The photo was taken by Joe Rosenthal, a photographer for The Associated Press, on Feb. 23, 1945. It was splashed across the front pages of newspapers throughout the country, and was an immediate source of patriotism and controversy. President Harry S. Truman used it to sell bonds to fund the war, Mr. Rosenthal brushed back accusations that it was staged, and questions arose — and were apparently answered — about who was really in it. Mr. Bradley’s doubts tell a story about the fog of war, the efforts of a son to memorialize his father and the apparent willingness of the Marines to at first brush aside questions about one of their most historic moments.
The photograph was taken by Joe Rosenthal, a photographer for The Associated Press, during one of the bloodiest battles of the war. It was splashed across the front pages of newspapers throughout the country less than 48 hours after it was taken, and was an immediate source of patriotism and controversy. President Harry S. Truman used it to sell bonds to fund the war, Mr. Rosenthal brushed back accusations that it had been staged, and questions arose — and were apparently answered — about who was really in it.
The photograph was also the inspiration for the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Va., a statue in which six 32-foot-tall figures are depicted in the positions captured by Mr. Rosenthal.The photograph was also the inspiration for the Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington, Va., a statue in which six 32-foot-tall figures are depicted in the positions captured by Mr. Rosenthal.
Mr. Bradley said he had become convinced that his father was not in the photograph after studying evidence that was published in a 2014 story in The Omaha World-Herald. He said he had waited a year to examine the evidence in the newspaper article because he was working on a new book in Vietnam, and then became ill. He did not come forward with his belief that his father was not in the photograph, he said, because there was little interest from the news media and the Marines. Mr. Bradley said he had become convinced that his father was not in the photograph after studying evidence that was published in a 2014 article in The Omaha World-Herald. He said he had waited a year to examine the evidence in the newspaper article because he was working on a new book in Vietnam, and then became ill. He did not come forward with his belief that his father was not in the photograph, he said, because there was little interest from the news media and the Marines.
“It wasn’t top of mind,” Mr. Bradley said in a telephone interview. “It wasn’t a priority. I was overseas, and this past fall, I was recovering from a disease I got in New Guinea that almost killed me. Now there’s interest in this and I’m talking about it. I didn’t have the energy to carry the water all by myself.” “It wasn’t top of mind,” Mr. Bradley said in a telephone interview. “It wasn’t a priority. I was overseas, and this past fall I was recovering from a disease I got in New Guinea that almost killed me. Now there’s interest in this, and I’m talking about it. I didn’t have the energy to carry the water all by myself.”
“Flags of Our Fathers,” first published in 2000, was on best-seller lists for nearly a year. It was later made into a movie directed by Clint Eastwood.“Flags of Our Fathers,” first published in 2000, was on best-seller lists for nearly a year. It was later made into a movie directed by Clint Eastwood.
“Here is the true story behind the six flag raisers and the immortal photograph that came to symbolize the power and courage of America during World War II,” reads a summary on the back of a paperback edition of the book. “In ‘Flags of Our Fathers,’ the son of one of the flag raisers captures the glory, the heartbreak, and the legacy of the six ordinary boys who came together at a crucial moment in one of history’s bloodiest battles — and lifted the heart and spirit of a nation at war.”“Here is the true story behind the six flag raisers and the immortal photograph that came to symbolize the power and courage of America during World War II,” reads a summary on the back of a paperback edition of the book. “In ‘Flags of Our Fathers,’ the son of one of the flag raisers captures the glory, the heartbreak, and the legacy of the six ordinary boys who came together at a crucial moment in one of history’s bloodiest battles — and lifted the heart and spirit of a nation at war.”
The Marine Corps acknowledged in a written statement that “a private organization” had approached it with new information about the photograph and that it was investigating the matter, but it would not comment on what that information was.The Marine Corps acknowledged in a written statement that “a private organization” had approached it with new information about the photograph and that it was investigating the matter, but it would not comment on what that information was.
Marine officials said the inquiry was being led by the corps’ chief historian, and the Commandant of Marines is expected to be briefed on the results of the investigation in the coming weeks. It is not clear when the Marines will release the findings to the public. Marine officials said the inquiry was being led by the corps’ chief historian, and the commandant of the Marines is expected to be briefed on the results of the investigation in the coming weeks. It is not clear when the Marines will release the findings to the public.
“Rosenthal’s photo captured a single moment in the 36-day battle during which more than 6,500 U.S. servicemen made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, and it is representative of the more than 70,000 U.S. Marines, sailors, soldiers and Coast Guardsmen that took part in the battle,” said Maj. Clark Carpenter, a spokesman for the Marines. “We are humbled by the service and sacrifice of all who fought on Iwo Jima.”“Rosenthal’s photo captured a single moment in the 36-day battle during which more than 6,500 U.S. servicemen made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, and it is representative of the more than 70,000 U.S. Marines, sailors, soldiers and Coast Guardsmen that took part in the battle,” said Maj. Clark Carpenter, a spokesman for the Marines. “We are humbled by the service and sacrifice of all who fought on Iwo Jima.”